The two party system

gnosis · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: The two party system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-party_system

One of the toughest issues I find myself facing politically in the United States is the monopoly over the political system that the Democrats and Republicans hold. All too often I find myself choosing between the "lesser of two evils", simply because I know that if I do not vote Democrat a Republican will most likely win, which will probably end up giving the wacko religious fundamentalists in the government even more power.

As atheists (or otherwise), what do you think is necessary for a third party to become truly viable in the United States?
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redraiderdude187 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:54 pm Post subject:

Proportional representation would be a nice start.
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Jason_Harvestdancer · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject:

Simple.

The candidate with the most electoral votes wins, the candidate with the second most is VP. Requiring a majority of the EC (and the VP being chosen by the P) is the source of our two party system.
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Jason_Harvestdancer · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject:

Actually there are many suggestions one could make. Proportional representation is one. Antoher is Instant Runoff Voting, so you could feel free to vote for better candidates and place the Lesser of two Evils as your fourth or fifth choice.

Another option is to put None of the Above on the ballot and if NOTA wins, the candidates who ran are disqualified from running in the followup election while the parties scramble to put forward new candidates.
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Nos laetus edo qui votum opprimo nobis.

LakeGeorgeMan actually think's I'm Socrates.

Visit my wife's art gallery

WOOOOOOOOT · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject:

The president who wins gets to choose his VP. By doing that he will most likely choose someone who has the same views as him/her.

Which will turn into more power and less conflict for the president. No third party has even come close to winning...many people think they wont ever.
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Jason_Harvestdancer · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:59 pm Post subject:

A conflicted executive is good for us. It makes impeachment a real threat. Nowadays people say "what's the point of impeaching criminal Bush, it will merely put criminal Cheney in office."

Now imagine President Bush worried about being replaced by Vice President Gore.

By the way, the Republican Party started as a 3rd Party, so it's not true that no third party has ever won.
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Nos laetus edo qui votum opprimo nobis.

LakeGeorgeMan actually think's I'm Socrates.

Visit my wife's art gallery

gnosis · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

Ivan_Ivanov · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

gnosis · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:03 pm Post subject:

BarkAtTheMoon · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

Ivan_Ivanov · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject:

gnosis · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:13 pm Post subject:

hillbillyatheist · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject:

I think its the public getting exactly what they want.

we had folks like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, and they barly got even 5 percentage points.

the public WANTS what we have now and thats why we have it.

as carlin once said, its not the politicians that suck, its the public.

gnosis · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject:

sentient_puddle · Visitor Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 13 Local time: 2:12 PM

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